That Night
by See Jane Write
Summary: Lilith and Niles' one night stand was more than just a desperate attempt for them to reaffirm their own worth. Takes place sometime after The Life of the Party but before Sweet Dreams. Chapter Twelve up.
1. Chapter 1

That Night

Disclaimer: Anything familiar belongs to David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee.

Summary: Lilith and Niles' one night stand was more than just a desperate attempt for them to reaffirm their own worth. Takes place sometime after "The Life of the Party" but before "Sweet Dreams".

Lilith Sternin could not bring herself to open her eyes. She knew that the bathroom door was locked, so there was absolutely no way Frederick could find her. She doubted her son was even awake. It was only one thirty in the morning after all.

_I have to know, _Lilith thought to herself. _Why else would I have woken up forty-five minutes ago and taken the damn thing? The mere possibility of this has been driving me crazy for over a month._

Lilith drew in a deep breath and finally brought herself to open her frightened, anxious eyes. She instantly brought her free left hand up in front of her face, shielding her eyes from the harsh bright light in the bathroom.

"What are you doing?" she asked herself angrily. Her tone was still soft as not to disturb Frederick. "You're only putting off the inevitable," she reminded herself.

With that being said, Lilith lowered her left hand towards the bottom of her purple bathrobe where it joined with her right one. Both hands now grasped the small wooden stick she had previously been holding in her right hand. She slowly raised both hands until they were even in height with her breasts.

_Come on, Dr. Sternin,_ Lilith commanded herself. _You have to look at it._

Lilith nodded then slowly turned her head down. Her eyes slowly looked across the pregnancy test. A thick dark purple line was present in the control window.

Lilith's eyes finally looked to the second window- the window that would tell her whether or not she was carrying a child. She drew her breath in again and looked at it.

In it, there was a solid dark purple line.

The pregnancy test was positive.

Lilith was having another child.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Everything's still not mine.

Chapter Two

Niles Crane stared down at the young infant girl in his arms. She was so small, yet so beautiful in every sense of the word. She left him speechless.

"Oh, Roz," Daphne Moon cooed again as she moved away from Niles and Alice. She looked over and met her friend's eyes. "She's absolutely adorable," Daphne continued as she walked towards the kitchen. "You really are lucky to have her in your life."

"Oh, Daphne, where are you going?" Niles asked as he handed the infant Alice back to her mother. "You're missing the shower."

"The shower that consists of her, the three of you, Alice, and myself," Roz pointed out with a slightly bitter tone in her voice. "Not that I'm ungrateful or anything."

Daphne chuckled as she reappeared in the doorway with a small glass of water and a container of aspirin. "It's a lovely party," she assured Roz. "I just have a bit of a headache."

Martin's eyes widened to almost three times their normal size. "What do you mean you have a headache?" he asked in fear. He instantly darted his head over in Frasier's direction. "Why does she have a headache? This isn't another surprise Lilith attack, is it?"

"Doesn't feel like it," Daphne replied before she swallowed the two tablets.

"But you didn't feel anything the last time, and that time the ice princess was in this very apartment," Martin rebutted. "You're loosing your touch."

"Don't speak to her that way," Niles interjected angrily.

Frasier placed his hand on the kitchen table loudly. He was loud enough to catch everyone's attention, yet soft enough to keep Alice from crying. "Enough!" he commanded. "We are here to have a good time and celebrate the birth of Alice. We don't need any fighting about Lilith's whereabouts."

"But she's in Boston, right?" Martin asked as he subconsciously reached for his cane.

"Yes, she's in Boston, you nit," Frasier snapped. He glanced down at his watch, which read 10:45 P.M. "She's most likely asleep in Boston if it makes you happy. Now can we please stop discussing my ex-wife?"

Martin shrugged. "Sure," he agreed before looking back over at Roz and Alice. "Hey, I got you something," he added.

"Oh, Martin, you didn't have to," Roz began as she shifted her position slightly.

Martin nodded as he reached behind his chair. "Yea, but I wanted to. Now, it's nothing fancy, but I know it will be useful," he informed Roz as he handed her a large bag.

Roz smiled as she took the bag. "Is there a card or something?" she asked curiously.

"Nope," Martin said honestly. "Didn't like the ones they had."

"Fair enough," Roz said as she pulled a large bag of diapers out of the pink bag.

"Told you it was useful," Martin said with a smile on his face.

"Thank you," Roz said sincerely. "I know these will come in handy." She glanced down at Alice. "As a matter of fact, I think they can be useful right now. Excuse me," she said as she stood up and began heading towards the bathroom.

"There," Frasier began as he sat on the couch where Roz had previously been sitting. "We can all be civilized people and have a good time."

Daphne nodded slightly as she tried to fight the urge to yawn. "Not if we don't get some sleep soon, we can't," she put in.

"Second that," Roz called from the bathroom. "She's falling asleep, and frankly I'm about to do the same."

"Could I offer you a ride home?" Frasier asked in a concerned tone.

Roz shook her head as she reappeared in the doorway. "I think I can manage," she said honestly as she walked over and placed Alice in her car seat. "But thanks. And thanks for this party."

"At least let me help you carry things to the car," Frasier said as he rose from the couch. He had the large bag of diapers in one hand and Roz's purse in the other

"That you can do," Roz stated as she picked up Alice's car seat. "Ready?" she asked.

"If you are," Frasier replied as he started for the door.

Before the two of them could actually make it to the door, the phone rang. "Who could be calling at this hour?" Frasier wondered aloud.

"The real question is who would be calling you," Roz corrected. "Niles is already here."

"Watch it," Frasier warned. "I don't have to help you with this." He placed the bag down and handed the purse to Roz. Roz slung the purse over her shoulder. Frasier signaled that he would only be a moment before answering the phone. "Hello, this is Frasier Crane," he said into the phone. He was tempted to add "I'm listening", but he wisely decided against it. The caller would not necessarily be a fan of his show.

"Slow down," Frasier commanded the caller. "Lilith, is that you?" he asked a moment later.

"Ok, I'm going to bed," Daphne instantly put in as she rushed towards her room.

"And I'm going to check on Eddie," Martin added as he fled the room just as quickly as Daphne had.

"Roz, did you need help there?" Niles offered as he grabbed the bag of diapers. He then rushed to the door and opened it quickly. "Come now. Alice needs her sleep." He quickly shooed Roz out of the apartment, followed her, and slammed the door shut behind him.

"C-calm down, Lilith," Frasier instructed after he rolled his eyes at everyone else's pathetic excuse to leave. "Take a deep breath. I can't understand a word you're saying." His statement was far from false. Lilith was speaking at a very fast pace, and Frasier was certain he had actually heard some crying on the other end of the line. "I'm listening. Do you want to tell me what is going on?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Lilith stood there in shock. She did not know what to think. So many questions raced through her mind. Should she have the child? Should she keep it for herself, or give it up for adoption? If she did keep it, when should she tell Frederick about it? When should she tell the father about it?

"Oh god," she muttered as she moved over and sat down on the closed toilet. It was Niles. It had to be Niles. Even before Brian left her, the two of them had not even come near one another in almost six months. The only man she has had sexual contact with in the past several months was Niles. Niles had to be the father.

Large tears filled in her dark eyes. She knew she had to tell him. How would he take it? _Or worse,_ she thought. How would Frasier take it? Frasier meant everything to her. Even though the two of them were no longer married, or even in love with each other for that matter, she still cared deeply about him. She knew his anger about her and Niles sleeping together. The thought of telling him it was more than that pained her.

She glanced down again at the pregnancy test. It was still positive. Lilith was still pregnant. She probably had been for a month and a half at least. She would remain that way for the next thirty-some weeks. At some point in those weeks, she had to call Seattle.

_ How should I tell him? Which one of them do I tell first? Niles has the right to know, but Frasier…_She groaned slightly to herself. There were too many things she had to do. She had never expected this to happen. She had already gotten rid of most of the baby things she had when Frederick was that young.

_God, I still have to tell Frederick. Not yet. He's only nine, and I'm definitely not. I should at least make sure that I won't have a miscarriage before telling my son that he will have a brother or sister. Niles should be the first to know._

She frowned slightly, thinking that over.

_Or should he? He never really liked me. The only person over there who did was Frasier. Niles and I only got together that night because we were upset and filled with tequila. If anyone is to blame for this incident, it's Maris and Brian._

_ No, that does not make any sense. It was the bartender's fault for allowing us to drink so much. Or maybe it was Frasier's fault. He was the one I came to be with anyway. Had he just given in, there would be no baby in question._

She stopped right there. No matter how many times she would try to look at it, the facts still remained the same. She and Niles had slept together about six or seven weeks ago. Despite how careful they were, she conceived that night. Now she was pregnant with a baby, and Niles has no idea.

She looked down at the test again. She had to tell him. She slowly stood up and walked over towards the bathroom door. It was still locked. She drew in a deep breath before unlocking it and exiting the bathroom. Once outside, she glanced at the clock. 1:45 A.M, which would make it 10:45 over in Seattle. Frasier and Niles were likely to still be awake, and they were likely to be together.

­_Ok,_ she thought to herself as she began walking towards the kitchen. _The two of them are probably at Frasier's. I'll just call his apartment, and whoever answers will be the one I tell, unless of course the one who answers turns out to be Daphne or Martin. They do not deserve to know first._

She finally got over towards the phone. She picked it up and balanced it between her shoulder and her head. She drew in another deep breath before dialing the number she knew by heart.

She could hear it ringing once on the other end. Twice. Thoughts began racing through her head again. What if they were not home? Should she leave a message? Is this the kind of thing that can be left on a message? She had never had to call the father to tell him she was pregnant before. She had told Frasier in person that night after watching Carla's son. That was almost ten years ago. Things were different. She was alone this time.

­_Why isn't someone answering?_ Lilith thought to herself. She was about to hang up before she heard Frasier's voice announcing his name. He still sounded the same, Lilith noted. He had no idea that anything out of the ordinary was going on.

"Oh god, Frasier, my world is ending. I just saw the test results today. I'm scared, Frasier. I don't know what to do," she said very quickly. Tears shortly followed her words.

"Slow down," Frasier's voice on the other end said gently. "Lilith, is that you?" he asked a moment later. At that instant, Lilith could vaguely hear voices of people claiming they had to leave or go to bed. She tried not to let it get to her.

She swallowed hard. "Yes, it's me," she said softly. "I need help. I don't know what to do. I can't believe this is actually happening."

She heard the slamming of a door from the other end of the line. Right after that, the sound of Frasier's comforting voice came through. She could not hear what he was saying at first as she was occupied with trying to control her tears. Once she had calmed down a little bit, she could hear his soothing voice. "I'm listening. Do you want to tell me what's going on?"

Lilith tried to gather herself together long enough to say something, but the words would not form in her mouth. Another sob escaped from her.

"Do you want me to come to Boston?" Frasier asked in that same caring voice.

Lilith nodded and choked out, "Yes, please."

"Ok," Frasier soothed her. "I'll be on the next flight to Boston. Hopefully I'll see you this afternoon," he said. "Goodbye, Lilith." With that, Frasier hung up.

Lilith let out a small sigh of relief. At least with Frasier coming to her, she would have more time to prepare what exactly she was going to say. She sighed heavily as she wiped her eyes gently.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"I'll be on the next flight to Boston. Hopefully I'll see you this afternoon," Frasier said comfortingly into the phone. He was genuinely concerned about Lilith. He had to see her. "Goodbye, Lilith," he said before he hung up the phone.

Martin lingered near the doorway between the hallway leading to his room and the main room of the apartment. "Everything ok?" he asked.

"Yes, I hung up with her," Frasier snapped irritably. "Could you be any more immature?"

Martin shrugged as he walked over to his chair. "I meant with Lilith. You just offered to go to Boston and see her in the middle of the week. Is everything ok over there? Frederick ok?"

Frasier sighed heavily as he sat down at the dining room table. "I'm not entirely sure. I couldn't make sense with much of what she was saying. She was speaking way too fast and between tears."

"Anything you could make sense out of?" Martin asked.

Frasier recalled the bits of Lilith's words he could understand clearly. "Something about a test and how her world is ending. She sounded frightened, and frankly I am, too," Frasier stated.

At that moment the door to the apartment opened slowly. Niles cautiously stuck his head in before entering with the same amount of caution.

"For God's sake, Niles, what is it?" Frasier asked.

"Roz left one of Alice's booties here," Niles stated honestly as he walked over to where Roz had been sitting.

"So she hasn't left yet?" Frasier asked curiously.

Niles nodded his head. "She's trying to get Alice in the car without swearing. When I left, she was unsuccessful," he informed Frasier as he knelt down on the floor to check under the couch.

Frasier did not hear him. He was already out the door waiting for the elevator. He tapped his foot impatiently before finally giving up and deciding to take the stairs. He rushed down all nineteen flights of stairs until he was in the garage. He scanned it quickly while catching his breath. Upon spotting Roz's car, he began walking over to her while calling out her name.

"Frasier, what is it?" Roz asked as she stood up from the car. She had finally managed to secure Alice in the car. "Did you find the bootie?" she asked.

Frasier shook his head as he held up one finger and tried to catch his breath. "Niles has that," he told her.

"Then what are you doing here?" she asked. "Everything ok with Lilith?"

Frasier shook his head again. "Something's wrong. I couldn't exactly make out what, but it sounded serious. I'm going to Boston," he informed her. "I just wanted to tell you that so you wouldn't have to worry about coming into work tomorrow or Friday."

"Are you going to call the station?" Roz asked curiously.

"Could you?" Frasier asked. "I have no idea when my plane is going to leave."

Roz nodded sympathetically. "Sure, no problem. Do you know how long you'll be gone?"

Frasier shook his head. "I couldn't make much sense from what she was saying. I'll call you from Boston," he promised. "If it really gets that bad, ask Niles to fill in for me."

"Ok," Roz said as she nodded. "I hope everything works out for you," she added sincerely as Frasier began walking back towards the stairs.

"Thank you," Frasier called back as he decided against taking the stairs. He walked over towards the elevator and pushed the 'up' button. Seconds later, the door opened. Niles walked out, but before he could say anything, Frasier rushed into the elevator and pushed the 'Door close' button.

The elevator ride up to his floor seemed like the longest thing in his life. He was concerned about Lilith. From the way she was talking, it sounded like something serious. He knew it had to be serious. He could not imagine what was so serious that she would call at close to two in the morning her time. "Ok," he told himself. "I don't know what's going on. For all I know, it could be something pretty minor. I won't think about anything until I get to Boston and talk to Lilith."

Frasier sighed heavily as the doors opened. He walked over into his apartment and picked up the phone again. He glanced over at Martin for a second before dialing. "Hello," he said once someone answered on the other end. "At what time does the next flight for Boston leave?" he asked. "Emergency's an understatement…Six-thirty in the morning, ok, I'll take it…Frasier Crane…"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Lilith finally awoke to the annoying buzz of her alarm clock. She had eventually gotten herself back to sleep at sometime around three. Now it was close to seven, and she knew that Frederick was awake and most likely expecting breakfast. She glanced down at her apparel then walked over to her closet. She knew Frasier was coming, and she had to prepare for that. She had to prepare Frederick for that.

Was it worth keeping him out of school for the day, she wondered to herself. No, she decided after a moment. If he stayed home, then he would only get suspicious, and she definitely was not ready to admit to him that she was pregnant.

She glanced at her closet again before pulling out a black pair of pants and a simple white shirt. She quickly changed into them, deciding that she could always shower once Frederick was at school. If she stayed in her room much longer, the young boy would start asking questions.

Lilith quickly pulled her hair into a serviceable bun and walked downstairs to the kitchen. As expected, her son was sitting at the table eating a bowl of cereal.

"Um, Frederick, I have a surprise for you," Lilith announced as she sat down next to him.

Frederick placed the newspaper down nicely on the table before looking at his mother. "What is it?" he asked curiously. "Am I getting new dissection tools?" he asked again. His eyes filled with hope.

Lilith shook her head slightly. "I'm afraid not."

"A new computer?" Frederick asked with the same amount of excitement. He looked at Lilith and saw the anxiety in her face. "Oh, it's ok, Mother," he began. "I don't need a new computer. I can just take apart my old one and put it back together."

Lilith smiled slightly at him. "That's my boy," she said softly.

"So what is this surprise?" Frederick asked.

"Your father's coming here," Lilith informed him. "He'll most likely be here by the time you get home from school."

"Neat," Frederick exclaimed as he stood up from the table. He placed his empty bowl of cereal in the sink along with his spoon. "Is there a reason for his visit?"

Lilith nodded slightly as she tried to resist the urge to start crying again. She did not know why she was getting this emotional. It was not like her. The only time she had been like this was when Brian left her. Frederick seemed to adjust well to that. Perhaps he could handle the true reason for his father's visit…

_No_, she quickly scolded herself. _I will not tell him until both Frasier and Niles know._

"Mother?" Frederick asked as he walked in front of Lilith.

"Um, he's here for a conference," Lilith lied as she looked down. She refused to look at Frederick as she lied to him. "Come on," she said as she picked her head up again. "You don't want to be late for your bus."

Frederick nodded before gently kissing Lilith's forehead. "Ok," he said softly. "I'll see you after school," he promised before grabbing his lunch and walking out the door.

"Bye, Frederick," Lilith called as her son closed the door behind him. She sighed heavily before deciding it was best to take a shower. If not for her sake, for Frasier's. There was no doubt that he would be hugging her and holding her close to him once she told him. That was the sort of thing she could count on him doing.

She sighed again as she began walking upstairs. Among all things, she knew she had to see a doctor soon. She had to ensure that everything was fine with this pregnancy. She walked into her bathroom and turned on the shower water.

Lilith quickly drove home from the obstetrician's office. Everything there had gone smoothly in her opinion. Her pregnancy was fine, and the due date was set for sometime around December fifteenth. Now she had to get home as fast as she could. She doubted that Frasier's plane had landed yet, if he had even found a flight yet. As soon as she got inside, she rushed towards her phone and checked for messages. There were none. She sighed heavily and walked over to the refrigerator. She scanned her selection of food before pulling out some vegetables and dip. She sat down and began eating slowly.

As soon as she had started eating her celery, the door opened slightly. Thinking it was Frederick, Lilith sat there and only turned her head. "Did you have a good time at school?" she asked without actually looking at the person walking inside.

"School was a long time ago," Frasier announced as he walked inside and over to Lilith.

Lilith gasped and stood up. "Frasier, I apologize. I did not realize you were at the door."

"I should have called," Frasier admitted as he hugged Lilith tightly. He did not want to let her go. He just wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her that everything would be fine. He rubbed his hands along her back, and then finally pulled away. The two of them sat down before he spoke. Frasier noted the platter of vegetables and dip on the table as well as the somewhat distraught look in Lilith's face. He could not wait any longer. He had to know what was troubling her. "Lilith, what is it?"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Frasier pulled the rental car in front of Lilith's house. The flight over to Boston was smooth and surprisingly quick. He rushed out of the car and over to the door. He gently turned the doorknob slowly to find that the door was not locked. He slowly opened it and stuck his head inside.

There at the table was his Lilith. She had a plate of carrots and celery in front of her as well as a container of dip. Frasier chuckled slightly to himself at the thought of dip. It reminded him of when the two were dating.

"Did you have a good time at school?" his ex-wife asked without actually looking at him.

Frasier sighed, knowing that he should have called before arriving unexpectedly at her house. "School was a long time ago," he told her as he walked over towards her. She still looked beautiful. Her hair was down again, and a part of Frasier's mind was concerned about that. The only times he had known her to let it down, she wanted to be with him on a more intimate level.

Lilith gasped as she rose from her position at the table. "Frasier, I apologize. I did not realize that you were at the door."

_No need to apologize, _Frasier thought to himself. "I should have called first," he admitted as he hugged her tightly. He could feel the panic in her body lessening as he held her in his arms. He rubbed her back a few times before guiding her back to the table. The two of them sat down, and he placed his hand on top of hers.

Lilith would not meet his eyes. She stared at the platter of vegetables. Frasier glanced over at them before trying to look into Lilith's eyes. Once she finally picked up her head, he could see how nervous she was. "Lilith, what is it?" he asked gently as he moved his chair closer to hers.

"I don't even know where to begin," Lilith said as she propped her head up in her arm, which rested on the table. "This whole thing has me completely worried, but I'm more worried about your reaction now."

Frasier once again was worried. "My reaction?" he asked in a slightly frightened tone. "My reaction to what? Lilith, what is going on?"

"Well, first off, I told Frederick you were here for a conference, so back me up on that," Lilith said as she reached for another carrot. She got a little dip on it before popping it into her mouth. "You're welcome to have some," she added as she gestured at the vegetables.

"Lilith," Frasier warned. "Come on. You really freaked me out last night. What is going on? Is Frederick ok?"

"He's fine," Lilith assured Frasier. "We have a beautiful, healthy son." She looked back down at the table.

"Then what is it?" Frasier asked. "Are you ok? Are you sick or something?"

Lilith started to shake her head, and then rose from the table. "I think I'm going to be," she stated as she rushed towards the bathroom. Both her hands were up at her mouth.

"Lilith!" Frasier called after her. Now he was officially worried for Lilith's health. From her message to this, he did not know how much more of this he could tolerate. From the way Lilith mentioned Frasier's presence in Boston as a conference, Frasier doubted that Frederick knew the truth. Besides, he was not even home from school yet.

Frasier looked around the kitchen. It was mostly the same as his last visit the previous Thanksgiving. Several of the photographs on the refrigerator have been changed, but other than that, there were no differences. Frasier sat still as he waited for Lilith to return.

Several minutes later, Frasier hear the faint sound of a toilet flushing. Lilith emerged from the bathroom with a small, brown hand towel in front of her mouth. Frasier noticed her and quickly guided her over to the couch in the living room.

The two of them slowly sat down, and Frasier placed one hand on Lilith's forehead. He found it to show no signs if a fever. "Ok, Lilith, are you going to tell me what's going on now?"

Lilith nodded slightly and rested her head against Frasier's chest. "I've been avoiding it long enough," she started. "I feel you deserve to know."

Frasier wrapped his arm around her while mentally preparing himself for the worst. He knew that he would not like the next words that would come from Lilith's mouth.

"I'm pregnant," Lilith admitted softly.

Frasier blinked twice in shock. On the one hand, he was relieved to find out that Lilith did not have some deadly disease. On the other hand, he was shocked. This was not what he had in mind when she had called. Although, this made sense, too. Lilith was technically single again, so she would be raising this child all alone. That would be enough to cause her to worry like she had.

Frasier pulled her closer towards him and held her in his strong arms. "I'm here for you," he told her softly.

Lilith now blinked in surprise. "You're taking this rather well," she pointed out.

"Well, I know how hard it is to go through this. I just went through this with Roz," he reminded her. "I want you to know that I can do anything you want me to do." He rubbed her back again. "Have you told Brian yet?"

"Brian!" Lilith exclaimed in horror. "It's partially his fault that I'm like this," she said angrily.

"Partially?" Frasier asked curiously. "He is the father, is he not?"

Lilith gasped as both her hands fled to her mouth in shock. She had just thought of it as common sense that Niles was the father. Frasier on the other hand did not know of her troubles with Brian. He knew that the two of them divorced because Brian was gay, but he did not know that the two of them had not slept together in a very long time.

"Lilith," Frasier warned again. "Brian is the father, is he not?" he repeated angrily.

Lilith's eyes once again filled with tears as she shook her head. "He's not," she admitted softly as she grabbed one of the pillows from her couch. "Niles is."


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I still don't own the magnificent ­_Frasier_ characters, events, etc. It's quite a shame.

Author's Note: No, I don't know Lilith's middle name, but this sounds like it would work, so I say it works…Read and review, and I'll update soon (hopefully).

Chapter Seven

Frasier blinked twice again in shock as he removed his hand from Lilith's back. "Niles is the father?" he repeated warily. "My brother Niles is the father of your baby?" he continued as he stood up. His face was flushing with anger. "Lilith Anne Sternin, am I hearing you correctly?" he shouted as he turned back around to face the couch.

"Damn it, Frasier, this is what I was afraid of!" Lilith yelled back. She could barely see Frasier through her tears, and she doubted he could fully understand her through her crying. She clutched the pillow closer to her chest and looked down. She could not bear to look at Frasier any longer. "I knew this was a mistake."

Frasier shook his head as he drew in a deep breath. "No, Lilith, it wasn't," he said as he began pacing back and forth in front of her. "I know how hard it was for you to do this, and I'm here to support you any way you feel necessary." He sighed again. "It's just a lot to take in. You're my ex-wife. You shouldn't be having my brother's child."

"Believe me, this isn't how I pictured my second child either," Lilith said as she reached for a tissue. She then began dabbing at her eyes. "It was supposed to be perfect."

"It still can be," Frasier began as he sat down next to her. He placed one gentle hand on her back just below her shoulders. While he was still furious with the situation, he could not take his anger out on Lilith. She was, after all, the one who was pregnant, and that alone was enough to make her unpredictable. He had dealt with her like that when they were married. The best thing for him to do was just to be there for her. Besides, being angry and in denial would not change the situation one bit. "You're an excellent mother," Frasier informed her as he took her hand and held it in his.

Lilith smiled weakly up at Frasier. "Thank you, Frasier," she said. "I knew I could count on you." She slowly rose and began walking back to the kitchen. "Hey, why don't you tell Niles for me? He obviously likes you better anyway. He never liked me, and I only really tolerated him for your sake."

Frasier shook his head as he followed Lilith into the kitchen. "I'm supportive, Lilith, but there is a limit. I never liked the fact that you slept with my brother," he told her in a slightly cross tone.

"I still blame the tequila," Lilith muttered as she began cleaning up her platter of vegetables.

"Blame whatever you want, Lilith," Frasier told her as he put the lid back on the dip. "You're avoiding the problem," he pointed out as he placed the container in the fridge.

"Well, this isn't something I'm used to facing," Lilith argued back as she walked over to the fridge and placed the dip on its proper shelf. "I don't even know where to start. I'm scared, Frasier."

Frasier nodded sympathetically as he pulled her into his arms. He rubbed her back soothingly and kissed her forehead gently. "I know, Lilith," he began.

"No, you don't," she immediately countered crossly.

"No, I don't," Frasier agreed. Sometimes it was better just to go along with her than to argue. "Tell you what," he began as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He began guiding her back to the couch.

"What?" Lilith asked. "Frasier, there's still dishes," she pointed out. "Frederick will be home soon. He can't see the house like that."

"I think he'll survive," Frasier told her as the two of them sat down. "This is about Niles."

Lilith immediately shut her mouth. "Go on," she prodded.

Frasier took his cue from her. "As you know, he has a right to know that he's the father of this child."

Lilith nodded.

"He also has a right to hear the news in person from you," Frasier continued.

Lilith sighed, but she eventually nodded in agreement. Frasier was right, and she knew it. "But Frasier, I can't take Frederick out of school and fly to Seattle," she pointed out. "He doesn't even know that I'm pregnant."

"Let me finish," Frasier interrupted.

Lilith once again shut her mouth. It was not like her to be this submissive to other people, but she was at a complete loss of what to do. She would take advice from almost anyone at this point.

"You told Frederick I was here for a conference, correct?" Frasier asked.

Lilith nodded again as a small smile formed on her face. "I think I see where you're going with this."

Frasier nodded back. "You always knew what I was thinking before I had to say it," he told her with a small smile. "But like I was saying, I could get Niles to come out here. I'll tell him something, I don't know what."

"The hospital's giving a seminar on self-psychology, and we would be honored if he would be a guest speaker," Lilith filled in for Frasier. "Given his jealousy of your fame, I know he'll accept if he knows that you're not invited to speak."

Frasier nodded again. "Yes, you've got that right," he noted. "Wait, isn't that you're blanket excuse for coming out to Seattle whenever you need something?"

"When have you ever known your brother to pay enough attention to me to remember that?" Lilith asked. "And not always," she pointed out. "Sometimes it's a conference or a talk."

Frasier rolled his eyes. "Same basic thing," he told her. He gasped. "We're going to need to get Niles a ticket. If the hospital is really doing this, he'll need a ticket and a hotel."

"I can't afford to keep your brother in a fancy hotel," Lilith argued. "Or fly him first class. You know that's how he's going to want to fly." She frowned for a minute then shrugged. "It is Boston **General** Hospital," she pointed out. "They wouldn't pay to fly him first class either. I'll call the airline."

Frasier smiled at her. "I'll call Niles as soon as you're done," he promised.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

"The flight's tomorrow at four Seattle time," Lilith told Frasier as she hung up with the airline. "If he needs to make himself feel more important, he can upgrade the seat himself," she added. "I'm finishing these dishes before Frederick arrives. You call Niles from my bedroom. I don't want him overhearing you," Lilith said seriously. With that, she turned around and turned on the sink to begin washing off her plate.

Frasier smiled at her and obeyed. He quickly walked up to her bedroom and grabbed her phone. Not knowing where Niles would be at the time, he figured it would be best to call his brother's cell phone. He was halfway through dialing the number when he stopped as he realized something. "Lilith?" he called as he put the phone down. He walked back downstairs over to her. "Lilith," he added.

"What?" Lilith asked. "The phone should be on the table right next to the bed."

"It is," Frasier assured her.

"Then what's the problem?" Lilith asked impatiently.

"Our story is that the hospital only wants Niles," Frasier reminded her.

"Right, otherwise he won't come," Lilith said irritably. "Come on, it's not that difficult."

"Lilith," Frasier said in that warning tone. "That story would explain why Niles needs to come out here. What about me? I can't tell him the real reason I'm here."

Lilith frowned. "Damn it, you're right," she muttered as she sat down at the table. She sighed heavily. "Well, we can't drag Frederick into it, and he does have to hear the truth from me."

Frasier sat down next to her and placed a hand on top of hers. "We'll think of something," he assured her.

"What does anyone already know?" Lilith asked. "We have no idea what they could be discussing over there. What one person knows, everyone could know," she reminded Frasier.

Frasier nodded as he tried to think of what exactly he told people that night. He had only talked to his father and Roz about the phone call. "My dad knows that there is a test involved, but he does not know that it was a pregnancy test," he began. "He and Roz know that it's something serious, and that I'm here in Boston with you. That's it."

Lilith nodded. "Ok, I think we can work with this." She was silent as she started trying to figure something out in her head. She frowned as she put her head down on the table. "We can't work with this. Why'd you have to do a stupid thing like that?" she asked irritably.

"I was worried about you, Lilith," Frasier told her. "I thought you had cancer or something," he added. "I thought you were going to leave me."

Lilith picked her head up weakly. "What was that?" she asked.

"Lilith, I know we're not married anymore, but the truth is I--" Frasier started.

"No, before that," Lilith interrupted.

"I thought you were going to tell me that you had cancer," Frasier repeated. "The way you were speaking on the phone," he continued. "It sounded inevitable. I mean, you were talking about test results, your world ending, and you were doing all of this between tears."

"And Roz and your father know all of this?" Lilith asked skeptically.

Frasier nodded. "I mentioned it to my father for sure."

A small smile was present on Lilith's face. "Perfect," she said. "It's extremely shallow, but it would explain your continued presence here at least long enough for me to explain the real reason to Niles."

"It seems a little risky," Frasier began.

Lilith frowned. "Do you have a better idea?" she asked. "It's the only logical explanation."

Frasier nodded. "Ok, fine, but I'm just saying that we're pretty sure it's cancer." He started his way up the stairs before turning back around. "What kind?" he asked. "Just in case?" he asked.

Lilith shrugged. "I don't know, Frasier. Make something up. Just not skin cancer, because that would be stretching it," she reminded him. She glanced out the window and noticed Frederick walking towards the side door. "And no more talk of this. Frederick's home," she informed him.

Frasier smiled at the information before he walked upstairs. He knew he had to make that phone call before Lilith killed him. He walked over to the bed, picked up the phone, and dialed Niles' cell phone number. His brother answered after two rings. "Niles, are you busy?" Frasier asked.

"No, just having some coffee at the café," his brother answered. "And I'll be pleased to stay on the line for as long as necessary. Maris' lawyers keep thinking they can call me at anytime," he remarked bitterly.

"Are you busy on Saturday?" Frasier asked simply.

"Not anymore," Niles responded. "I assume that you're still going to be in Boston this weekend."

"Yes," Frasier said with a sigh. He did not really want to talk about it. He hated lying to Niles, and he hated lying about Lilith's health. Even though he knew it was not true, he did not like the thought of Lilith having cancer.

"Is everything ok there?" Niles asked. His voice actually showed some concern. "Frederick?"

"Freddy is fine," Frasier quickly said. "I haven't actually seen him yet. He's been at school, but he's fine and healthy." He shook his head and quickly changed the subject. "But you are free all Saturday?" he asked again.

"Yes," Niles said. "I'm not going to the opera alone. You are still in Boston, and you still have yet to explain your reason for your visit. Roz already started harassing me to cover your show, and I need to know if I should do it."

"You should," Frasier said. "But not this week because there's a talk on self-psychology at Lilith's hospital, and they want you to be one of the speakers. Your flight leaves tomorrow at four Seattle time."

Niles frowned. "Is that why you're in Boston?" he asked.

"No," Frasier said quickly.

"Then why?" Niles demanded. "Is it Lilith?"

"Niles, this is a great opportunity for you. I'll even bump you up to first class myself," Frasier offered.

"You just want me to come so you can gloat because your speech is better since you knew about it longer," Niles snapped. "Forget it, Frasier," he said as he hung up.

Frasier groaned as he hung up the phone. He picked it up again and redialed the number. "Niles, I wasn't invited to the seminar," he confessed.

"Oh?" Niles asked, intrigued. "Then why are you in Boston? Stop putting it off."

Frasier sighed. He hated this. Lilith had better explain this all to Niles. She had better explain that it was all her idea. He did not want any part of it. She had better explain it all to him as soon as he got to Seattle. "It's Lilith," Frasier admitted. At least that part was true.

"What about Lilith?" Niles asked. His voice was back to the concerned voice he had earlier when Frasier had first called. "Is she all right?"

"No, Niles," Frasier said seriously. "She's not." He was still not lying. Maybe if he was vague enough, Niles would just see it as none of his business.

"What is it?" Niles asked. "Is she sick or something?"

Frasier frowned slightly as he tried to think of a way to answer that question while still telling the truth. "It's more complicated than that," he said finally. _Please, Niles, don't ask any further questions,_ Frasier mentally begged his brother.

Niles' mouth dropped open in shock. "My god, Frasier, I'm so sorry," he said. "I had no idea." He tried to think of something to say without being too invasive of Lilith's privacy. "Are they sure?" he asked.

Frasier nodded. "She went to the doctor this morning."

"How much longer?" Niles asked.

Frasier frowned for a moment. He did not think Lilith mentioned a due date, but based on when she was last in Seattle, it would have to be…"I think they said around December," he said finally. He glanced at the clock again. "Now, Niles, please, I'd like to be with her," he said finally. Niles could take that to mean whatever he wanted. Frasier had to stop that conversation.

"Of course," Niles said sympathetically. "And I'll be on that plane, even if I have to fly…coach," he said. He stopped for a moment. "At which hotel will I be staying?" he asked curiously.

Frasier frowned. "Oh, Boston General was only putting its guests at the cheaper ones. We thought you might want to stay with us."

"With Lilith?" Niles was tempted to ask, but he kept his mouth shut. He could always get a hotel room later. He did not want to further upset Frasier after all. "I'll see you tomorrow night," he told his brother before he hung up the phone.

Frasier placed the phone back down and on the table. He walked back downstairs and saw Frederick. "Hello, there," he called as he pulled his son into a nice, welcoming hug.

"Hello," Frederick said excitedly. "Guess what?" he said. "I got a new microscope!"

"You did?" Frasier asked. "Why don't you bring it in here so I can see it?" he asked. He smiled as Frederick dashed towards his room. He then glanced up at Lilith and noticed that she was cooking dinner. "You sure you want to do that in your condition?" he asked.

Lilith frowned. "What condition?" she asked. "I can certainly prepare a simple meal for three."

Frasier took the spoon that Lilith was using to stir the sauce with away from her. "No, you sit," he told her. "I know they call it morning sickness, but it can happen at any time of the day," he reminded her.

"Shh!" Lilith scolded. "Frederick! I haven't told him yet." She sighed as she did sit down at the table. "What'd you tell Niles?" she asked.

Frasier sighed back as he added a few spices to the sauce. "Nothing specific, but I did not lie at all," he informed her. "Everything I told him could apply to your current situation." He smiled as he saw Frederick coming down the stairs carefully with a silver box in his hands. "We'll talk about it tonight," he told her. "After he's asleep."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Frasier glanced at the clock in the kitchen. "Niles should be here any minute," he told Lilith. "Are you sure you're ok with all of this?" he asked her. "Do you want me in the room for emotional support?"

Lilith shook her head. "I think I can handle it," she said. "But could you maybe stay in the other room just in case?" she asked.

Frasier nodded as he placed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Of course," he promised her. He saw the headlights from the taxi pulling up in Lilith's driveway. "He's here," he told her.

Lilith nodded weakly as her face grew even paler if such a thing was possible. She glanced over at Frasier. Frasier hugged her briefly then retreated to the other room. "I'm right in there if you need me," he told her as Niles knocked on the door lightly.

Lilith nodded as she watched him go. She saw Frasier sit down so that he was hidden from their sight. She then walked over and answered the door. "Niles," she said. "Come in," she added as she took a step back.

"Lilith," Niles began uncomfortably. "I'm dreadfully sorry to hear about your, um, condition. If I in any way pose as a burden, I'd be willing to stay at a hotel."

Lilith rolled her eyes. Even if he thought she was dying, he still wanted to get away. "Niles, we need to talk," she said as she gestured at the table.

"Where's Frasier?" Niles asked.

"Sleeping," Lilith lied quickly. "But Niles, we really have to talk."

Niles nodded. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "Are you in any pain?" he asked in a genuinely concerned tone. "Did you get a second opinion? Maybe even a third opinion," he suggested. "These things can be difficult to diagnose."

"Niles," Lilith began. "It's not what you think it is."

Niles frowned in confusion. "I don't think anything. Frasier told me you had cancer."

"Did he?" Lilith asked. "Did those exact words pass through his lips?" she asked. She exhaled deeply as she gestured at the kitchen table. "Sit down, Niles."

"December, huh?" Niles asked seriously. "Does Frederick know?" he asked.

Lilith groaned in frustration. "Niles, I don't have cancer."

"You don't?" Niles asked in shock. "But Frasier said--"

"He never said I had cancer," Lilith pointed out. "He said it was more serious than just being sick, which it is," she continued as she sat down across from Niles. "I just felt I should be the one to tell you about this in person."

"What are you talking about?" Niles asked.

"There's no talk on self-psychology," Lilith began. "We lied to you to get you out here."

"Out here for what?" Niles asked, confused. "Why am I out here? Why is Frasier out here?"

Lilith sighed. There was no easy way to put this. How should she even start? She had rehearsed this a thousand different ways in her head all day, but they were all leaving her mind. She could not focus.

"Lilith?" Niles asked curiously as he waved his hand in front of her face. "What is it?"

Lilith sighed again. She really had been putting it off for too long. "Niles, do you remember what happened last time I was in Seattle?" she asked.

"Frasier hasn't let me forget it yet," Niles pointed out. "And it's not something I can easily forget. We did sleep together."

Lilith nodded as she stood up and walked to the fridge. She reached for her small bag of baby carrots and container of dip. She offered it to Niles, but he declined. Lilith shrugged and placed them down on the table. She started preparing herself a glass of water with ice in it.

"Was there a point to that?" Niles asked.

"Think about it," Lilith told him as she placed some ice cubes in her glass. She turned around slowly and gestured at her body with a quick downward motion of her right hand.

Niles shrugged as he looked at Lilith. "You know, you might want to try those Slim Fast shakes," he said. "They worked great on Maris when she had to loose that holiday pound."

Lilith groaned as she popped a carrot into her mouth. She chewed it for a minute, swallowed it, then spoke. "Think harder," she commanded. "Niles, I'm not just gaining weight."

Niles frowned. Either he was clueless or he was in denial. The latter was more likely. "What are you saying?"

"I'm pregnant, Niles," Lilith admitted. "Seven weeks. The due date's around December fifteenth," she began as she looked down at the floor.

"What does that mean?" Niles asked as he rose from the table. "I can't believe this. Are you actually implying what I think you're implying. It can't be. We were--"

"Do not say careful," Lilith interrupted. "There was no way on Earth we were careful. We were drunk, Niles. Filled with--"

"Loneliness, confusion, misdirection," Niles started.

"Tequila shooters," Lilith finished her original statement. "Niles, that night was about more than just a desperate attempt to reaffirm our own worth," she said.

"No!" Niles shouted as he walked over towards the door. "No, I'm sorry, but no. I can't handle this now," he said. "I'm getting a hotel room," he told her. "One with better room service, too," he snapped as he slammed the door shut behind him.

Frasier appeared in the doorway and walked over to Lilith. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in closer to him. "Just give him some time," he told her. "He'll come around. Until then, I'm here for you."

Lilith smiled up at him. "Thank you, Frasier," she said weakly. "That means more to me than you'll ever know."

((More to come soon. Until then, just read and review I suppose. I like that. It's exciting. I'll shut up...))


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Frasier was the first one to wake up the next morning. After Niles had left, Frasier just sat with Lilith on the couch. They barely said anything to each other, but he never left her side. He stayed with her, comforting her, until she eventually fell asleep. Then he carried her upstairs to her bed and tucked her in. She was still asleep as was Frederick.

Frasier decided it was best if he prepared some breakfast for the three of them. Without a doubt, Frederick would be waking up soon. He was unsure if his son had an alarm clock or if Lilith woke him up. A small part of that angered him, but he did not press it. He would find out soon enough. Until then, he would start cooking some scrambled eggs, bacon, bagels, and whatever else he could prepare with what Lilith had lying around.

As Frasier cracked several eggs over the frying pan, he swore he heard knocking at the door. He glanced over towards the window and sure enough there was Niles. Frasier rolled his eyes, but he did walk over and open the door slowly. "What are you doing here?" he whispered harshly.

"Is Lilith awake yet?" Niles asked softly.

Frasier shook his head.

"Good," Niles said. "I'm not sure I can face her yet. God, Frasier, I was an idiot last night."

"I'm not going to disagree with you," Frasier said as he opened the door a little bit and allowed his brother to come in.

Niles walked over and sat down at the kitchen table. "She just took me by surprise," he started. "I mean, I just had no idea. I always thought of that night as just two people, however misguided, rediscovering their ids together. We were reaffirming our worth, not making a baby." He sighed heavily. "Of course, the timing could not be more wrong. I just know Maris' lawyers are going to try and twist this into something cynical. And the Daphne thing."

Frasier rolled his eyes as he continued preparing the eggs. "What Daphne thing, Niles?" he asked skeptically.

"Well, I was planning on telling her how I felt about her," Niles began.

"No, you weren't," Frasier interrupted. "You always say you are, but you never do. You always chicken out. Now can you think of how this affects someone besides yourself for once?"

"Like whom?" Niles shot back in an almost sarcastic tone. "You? Oh, poor Frasier. His brother got his ex-wife pregnant. You heard what she said. We're not responsible to you. We don't owe you anything."

"I was going to say Lilith," Frasier informed Niles as he put a few more eggs in the pan. "And do keep your voice down. Freddy and Lilith are still sleeping."

Niles sighed. "You're right," he admitted. "She's the one with the child." He shook his head slightly and sighed again. "Alone with the child," he amended. "She's not expecting me to propose or anything, is she?"

Frasier shook his head. "I highly doubt that. She can barely tolerate you as it is." He turned down the stove and walked to the counter to start cutting the bagels in half. "But you do have to do something that will show you can support her. At the very least, you have to talk to her."

"I-I can't do that," Niles protested. "I mean, I know I have to, but I doubt she'll even listen to me. Frasier, I was a jackass last night."

"Believe me, I know," Frasier said dryly as he placed several half bagels on a pan. He then walked over and placed the pan in the oven.

Niles frowned. "I thought you were asleep," he said. "Lilith distinctly told me that you were asleep."

"Well, that was a lie," Frasier said. "I was in the other room. I was going to come in and intervene if things got too out of hand, but you left too quickly."

"I see," Niles said as he once again stood up. "Was anything else a lie? Why don't we just get it out in the open? Is there anything else you're hiding from me?" His face was flushing with anger again. "Well, is there?" he demanded.

Frasier shook his head. "No, the baby thing was pretty much it," he said.

"Pretty much?" Niles repeated in an angry but skeptical tone. "What do you mean 'pretty much'?"

"Uncle Niles!" came the excited greeting from Frederick as he came into the kitchen. "Are you here for the same conference as my dad?"

From behind Frederick, Frasier was eagerly nodding his head yes. "No," Niles answered plainly. "I'm here for a seminar, and I'm late, so I better be going." He stood up from the table and handed Frasier a small piece of paper. "That's the number of the hotel at which I'll be staying if you or Lilith should feel the need to contact me."

"Niles," Frasier warned. "You are going to speak to her, am I right?"

Niles was silent, but he did give a small nod. "After my seminar," he said. "I'll stop by." He turned to Frederick. "It was nice to see you, and I'll be back later, I promise."

"Ok," Frederick said before he turned to Frasier. "What's for breakfast?" he asked. "And where's Mom?"

"I'm right here," Lilith announced as she slowly walked into the kitchen. She was still wearing the same outfit she had been wearing the previous day. The only difference was that now it was slightly wrinkled from her sleeping in it for several hours. Her hair was down, Frasier immediately noticed.

Frasier walked over to her and embraced her. "How do you feel?" he whispered as he tucked a bit of her hair back behind her ear.

Frederick's ears perked up as he looked over at his mother with concern. "You're not feeling well?" he asked in alarm. "Should I call someone?"

Lilith shook her head as Frasier eased her into one of the chairs at the kitchen table. She gave him a look of gratitude before turning back to Frederick. Her son's face was still filled with alarm and panic. "That's not necessary," she told him. "But I think we should talk. Here, sit down."

Frederick eyed her suspiciously as he pulled up the seat next to hers. "What is it?"

"Frederick, do you remember when I talked to you about whether or not you would like a brother or sister?" Lilith asked. Her tone was serious, but there were the smallest hints of a smile on her face.

Frasier glanced at her curiously. He had no idea that she still thought about having more children. She had mentioned it on several occasions when they were still married, but he thought those feelings disappeared with the divorce.

"Yes, I remember," Frederick answered his mother seriously. "I still think it would be kind of cool to have someone else around."

Lilith smiled at him and took his hand. She held it tightly between her hands as she spoke. "I hope you still think it's cool when it happens," she told him. "You're getting a brother or sister."

"Neat," Frederick exclaimed. "Can I teach it how to play piano and use a computer?" he asked excitedly.

Lilith smiled again. At least there was one person who did not get angry with her for telling them the news. Then again, Frederick was a lot younger than Frasier and Niles. He probably did not know entirely how babies were formed. "I promise you can when he or she is old enough," Lilith stated. She looked up at Frasier. "Now let's eat this nice breakfast your father prepared," she added.

"Ok," Frederick agreed as he handed everyone a napkin.

Frasier smiled at the two of them as he brought over the plate of bacon and bowl of eggs. He quickly pulled the bagels from the oven then placed those on the table as well. "Careful," he warned. "The pan's a little hot." He then smiled and handed out plates. He was about to sit down at the end of the table next to Frederick, but from the corner of his eye, he saw Lilith shaking her head slightly.

"Sit here," she said softly as she pushed out the other chair that was next to her. "I'd like you to," she added.

Frasier smiled warmly as he sat down next to her. She smiled back, and for a moment the two of them sat there gazing into each other's eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Lilith still could not believe that all of this was happening. She had come to accept the fact that she was pregnant and the more she thought of it, the more excited she became over it. Even if the circumstances were not ideal, she had always wanted more children. At least she gets that. The only thing she could not figure out was Frasier.

Her ex-husband left to take Frederick to school an hour ago. He said he might stop by Cheers to see how Sam was doing, but he might not. Lilith sighed. She knew Frasier. Of course he would go.

She emerged from the bathroom after taking a shower. She had changed her clothes to a more suitable blue blouse and tan dress pants. She was still debating on whether or not she wanted to go back to work. The past two days she had stayed home, claiming she had a family emergency. She knew she should go back. After all, she would need more time off in December and the first few months of the new year. She sighed as she walked downstairs to check when her earliest appointment was.

"There you are," Frasier exclaimed as Lilith approached the bottom of the stairs. "I was starting to wonder."

"I didn't realize you would be back so soon," Lilith stated.

Frasier shrugged. "Maulbury's not that far away," he reminded her. "Don't worry. No one saw me drop him off." He and Lilith exchanged the same annoyed look. When they had first applied to the school, they got in on the condition that neither of them would ever be on the school grounds. Since then, the rules have lessoned, but their presence was still frowned upon.

"What about Cheers?" Lilith asked curiously as the two of them sat down on the couch.

Frasier shrugged again. "Cheers will still be there later," he informed her. "It's you I'm worried about."

"Well, don't be," Lilith said. "I'm fine. Frasier, I've been pregnant before. It's not like I'm dying or anything."

"I know," Frasier said soothingly. "Still, I don't want you to be alone." He looked over at her again. "Oh, Niles was here earlier," he added.

Lilith's face paled. "He was?" she repeated in slight fear. "What did he want?"

"I think he wanted to talk to you," Frasier started, "but he's still afraid to face you."

"I would be, too, if I were in his position," Lilith admitted. "But that's no reason for him to be avoiding me. When was he over?"

"Before you woke up," Frasier answered her. "He left just before you came downstairs." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and looked at her. He picked up on her fear. It was obvious in her face. "He'll come around," he reiterated his earlier point.

"What if he doesn't?" Lilith asked. She was trying hard to keep a brave face, but it was getting harder. "What if he never does?" she asked. "Frasier, I can't do this alone," she stated as she could feel her eyes burning with tears. Her voice was already cracking.

"Shh," Frasier said as he pulled her closer to him. He embraced her tightly and ran his hands down her back. He then moved her slightly so that she was facing him. "Lilith, listen to me," he stated sternly. "You are not alone in this. I'm here for you, and I'm not leaving Boston. I'll move out here if that's what it will take to get you to realize that."

"Frasier, I couldn't ask you to do that," Lilith said. "This is my problem. You shouldn't be burdened by it."

Frasier shook his head as he held her. "Lilith, you could not be a burden to me if you tried. I love you too much."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Hours had passed. Frederick was in his room eagerly doing his homework. Lilith needed time alone and forced Frasier to go to Cheers. After a little arguing, Frasier decided that it had been a long time since he last saw Sam, Carla, Norm, and Cliff. It would be nice to see them again. Before he left, he made sure that Lilith would be ok. Frederick was told to watch out for her, but Lilith again insisted that she would be fine.

That was about forty minutes ago. She knew that once Frasier arrived at Cheers, it would be a good couple of hours before he returned back home. Until then, she would occupy herself with other things. She tried skimming through the books of baby names, but she could not do that yet. Not alone. First off, she did not know the sex of the baby. Secondly, she felt it should be a decision either based on people more than just herself. Niles should probably be included as well as Frasier and possibly Frederick.

Speaking of the devil, she heard knocking from the kitchen door. Frasier had been there long enough to have a key to her place. She doubted he would get drunk enough to need a ride home. Lilith pushed herself off of the couch and walked over to the door. Sure enough, it was Niles. She opened the door slowly and stepped aside, but she said nothing.

"Lilith, I understand if you're angry," Niles began as he entered her house. "You have every right to be angry with me. I know my first reaction was not…ideal."

"Judging from what Frasier said, neither was your second," Lilith told him. "But do sit down. I have something I want to show you." With that she walked into the living room to get something from the table in there.

"Is Frasier lurking around in the other room?" Niles called to her curiously.

Lilith shook her head. "No," she answered honestly. "He's at Cheers." She sighed heavily as she returned and sat down at the kitchen table. "Saying that almost makes me think we're still married except this time I forced him to go."

"Why?" Niles asked. "I thought you'd enjoy the help and support."

Lilith nodded. "I do, and I'm grateful that he supports me, but I need some time alone. Besides, I had a feeling that you would be coming here, and I didn't want him to be here for that. With all his feelings floating about, I don't think it would be appropriate."

Niles nodded. "He does care an awful lot about you," he noted as he sat down next to Lilith. "What is it that you wanted to show me?"

Lilith handed Niles the sonogram picture. "This," she said. "Apart from me and my OB/GYN, no one else has seen it. I thought you should be the first one."

"Wow," Niles began in awe as he held it carefully. He could not really tell where it was. Thankfully, it did not look like Lilith could either since it was marked on the picture itself. At least, it was circled. "I don't know," Niles began. "It's kind of small. I think it takes after you."

Lilith smiled slightly. "Thank you, Niles," she told him. "At the very least, for not yelling at me again."

"I do apologize for that," Niles said sincerely. "You just caught me off guard. Completely off guard, and I didn't know what to do. I'm relaxed now. I did the 'take a walk' thing that's recommended. Cleared my head. I'm better now."

"Glad to hear it," Lilith said.

Niles nodded at her. "You are carrying my child after all," he said as he moved off his chair and in front of Lilith. He placed one hand over her stomach. "Hello there," he began in a soothing tone. "I'm your Daddy, and I love you very much."

"Niles," Lilith began irritably.

"Yes?" Niles asked.

"Remove your hand from me please," Lilith commanded. Niles obeyed. "Thank you," Lilith added. She sighed as Niles moved back into his seat. "How do you want to handle this?"

"The pregnancy?" Niles asked.

"All of it," Lilith answered. "Now specifically, the pregnancy. Frasier already offered to stay here with me."

"I think that'd be for the best," Niles injected.

Lilith nodded. "As do I, but this is still your child. If you're not comfortable with the situation, we can change it."

Niles shook his head. "No, I'm fine with it. You and Frasier have a history. He obviously still loves you, and I think you still love him." He sighed as he glanced back down at Lilith's stomach. "But we still have the baby. Now, I would be willing to cover half the doctor's visits, maternity clothes shopping, basically anything baby-related," he offered. "Within reason. I'm not buying the baby a Jaguar."

"And I can e-mail you with updates on what's going on," Lilith continued. "My due date's in mid-December, but it could be a few days earlier or later. Generally second children are earlier, but the age gap between Frederick and this one is greater, so I don't know if that would still apply. I do, however, assume that you would want to be there for the birth."

Niles nodded. "That I will not miss. From how Frasier described you being pregnant before, I don't mind missing that part," he said. "No offense."

Lilith ignored his last comment and continued with what she was going to say. "I guess around Thanksgiving, we can figure out a good birth plan. Depending on how much I've progressed since then, you can either stay in Boston, or fly back to Seattle for about a week then come back."

"Oh, then I guess I'll stay after Thanksgiving," Niles told her. "And I'm willing to help after the birth if you want me around."

Lilith sighed. "We'll talk about that after the birth," she said. "I think we've got what we need for now. Thank you, Niles," she told him.

Niles nodded as he walked towards the door. "Take care of my child."


End file.
